New Year, New Opportunities: 5 Ways for Musicians to Win in 2023 (without relying on getting lucky)

Here are 5 practical ways you can make progress this year, doing things you can control....

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It's a new year, which means it's time for you be thinking about how you can make the most of the next 12 months.

There are lots of ways to achieve success in the music industry, but luck is rarely one of them.

Here are 5 practical ways you can win in 2023, without relying on getting lucky:

1. No door opener songs? Do this until you have them...

Songs are the currency in the music business and without them, everything else you do is essentially a distraction from getting them.

But, it isn't just about songs, it's specifically about getting those songs that will open the doors for you - the hit, the song that will connect with people far and wide and give you the chance to present the rest of the art you've created for your target audience.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter if you think you have door opening songs already or not, the people who will decide if you do are your target audience - as part of your testing process, be prepared to share your ideas with those around you and with those who will be honest with you.

So, focus all of your energy on this step only - until you have what you need, everything else you do is a distraction!

2. Develop your Artist Brand DNA

Developing a successful artist brand requires careful consideration of how your content will be presented in order to both resonate with your target audience and present yourself as a visionary.

Knowing your Brand DNA, or the core values you want to send out into the world, helps make all of your branding decisions much simpler and more importantly allow others you empower to support you in your progress, while maintain the integrity to the vision you have for your brand.

Here are all of the things you should include in your Brand DNA:

1. Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP)

   A Brand DNA's MTP is a statement of the brand's long-term vision and mission. It is the driving force behind the brand and helps to inspire and motivate both the brand's team and its customers.

2. Vision

   The Vision is the brand's long-term goal. It should be aligned with the brand's MTP and reflected in the brand's messaging and communication.

3. Mission

   The Mission is the brand's purpose or reason for existing. It should be aligned with the brand's MTP and reflected in the brand's messaging and communication.

4. Messaging Pillars

   Messaging Pillars are the key themes or messages that the brand wants to communicate to its audience. They help to shape the brand's messaging and ensure that all communication is consistent and on-brand.

5. Brand Name (Artist Name)

   The Brand Name (or Artist Name) is the primary way that the brand is identified. It is an important element of the Brand DNA.

6. Logo and Icon Elements

   The Logo and Icon Elements are visual representations of the brand that help to create a visual identity and recognition. They are key elements of the Brand DNA.

7. Brand Story

   The Brand Story is a narrative that tells the story of the brand and helps to create an emotional connection with the audience.

8. Tone of Voice

   The Tone of Voice is the personality and character of the brand as it communicates with its audience. It helps to create a unique and distinct brand personality.

3. Create content regularly that adds value to the lives of your fans: share stories, advice, tips, etc

At the heart of any good content strategy is the desire to reach people and make a valuable impact in their lives.

As an artist, your goal should be to create content that provides real value to your fans, whether it's an inspirational story, valuable advice or insightful tips.

Consistently creating and posting value driven content will help you to maintain the connection with your fans, towards them wanting to support you in deeper ways such as sharing your music, talking to their friends about you, purchasing merchandise and coming to see you perform live.

4. Invest into paid media - even if you can only afford $1 per day

In my experience, artists believe that if they don't have a big budget it, then there is little point in investing into paid media.

The truth is that even a small budget of $1 per day invested into paid media via a self service platform like Meta (Facebook and Instagram) will help you to get your content in front of new people consistently.

The advantage of investing just $1 per day into advertising, is that the platform's AI will do everything possible to maximize the reach you achieve with the budget.

Check out the $dollar a day strategy by the awesome Dennis Yu to get more of an understanding on how you can maximize your budget.

5. Unlock Your Potential - Embrace the Power of a Growth Mindset

Investing into yourself is an act of courage, it takes hard work and dedication to grow out of your comfort zone and develop a growth mindset.

However, such an investment has incredibly large returns towards your creativity, self-confidence and discipline.

Here are some ideas for things you can do to help you develop a growth mindset:

1. Set measurable goals and track your progress

   Setting measurable goals and tracking your progress is an essential part of developing a growth mindset. It helps you to focus on the areas that need improvement, identify what works and what doesn’t, and measure your progress over time.

   By setting specific targets for yourself, you can stay motivated by seeing how far you have come since starting out. This also gives you a sense of accomplishment when those goals are achieved. Additionally, tracking your progress allows you to pinpoint any setbacks or issues so that they can be addressed quickly before they impede further development.

2. Take regular breaks to refocus and recharge

   One way of doing this is to spend time in nature, as the calming effects of being surrounded by greenery can help you feel more relaxed and energized.

   Not only does spending time outdoors provide a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but it also offers an opportunity to reconnect with yourself.

   Being in nature allows us to reflect on our thoughts without any distractions or pressures that may be present in our day-to-day lives.

   Additionally, natural settings often evoke feelings of inspiration which can help boost creativity levels and lead to innovative ideas. Therefore, taking regular breaks in nature can be a great way to give yourself some much needed rest while simultaneously enabling you to think more creatively.

3. Establish a support system of family, friends, or professionals

   Having a supportive network of family, friends, and professionals can be an invaluable asset in the pursuit of personal growth.

   Having someone to turn to for advice or encouragement when times get tough is essential for developing resilience and perseverance.

   A strong support system can also provide valuable feedback on our ideas and help us stay motivated to continue down the path towards our goals.

   Additionally, having people who understand what it’s like to go through difficult times can make any situation seem less daunting.

   Whether you are struggling with something emotionally or need a second opinion on a project idea, having access to reliable resources is crucial for success.

   Establishing a supportive community of people that you trust will not only increase your chances of reaching your goals but will also give you peace-of-mind knowing that there are people who have your back no matter what happens.

4. Read books related to personal growth & development

   Reading and listening to books related to personal growth & development is one of the best ways to invest in yourself.

   Not only do these books provide valuable information on topics like goal-setting, self-confidence, and resilience, but they can also help us understand ourselves better and learn how to live more meaningful lives.

   By gaining a deeper understanding of our own thoughts and behaviors, we can become more aware of what we need to work on in order to reach our goals.

   Additionally, reading or listening to such books can be an excellent source of inspiration for creative ideas as well as motivation for taking action towards achieving success.

   With so many benefits associated with this type of investment into oneself, there’s no question that reading or listening to personal growth & development books is an invaluable practice that should not be overlooked by anyone looking to unlock their creativity and fulfill their true potential.

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I hope you found this post value and if you did, consider subscribing to my Substack for free to get notified every time I post.

Kind Regards

Carl AKA ‘The Baker’

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Missed my first and most important article? here’s the link to it:

I realized that no-one in the Music Business knows what they're doing: Part 2

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